Hainesport Chiropractic, P.A. - Five Wellness Tips

HAVE YOU BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY BATTLING THE BULGE? YOU ARE NOT ALONE! OUR OFFICE HAS STARTED A WEIGHT MANAGEMENT GROUP WHICH MEETS EVERY WEDNESDAY EVENING. EACH WEEK A DIFFERENT TOPIC IS DISCUSSED TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT YOUR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT EFFORTS. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A PATIENT TO ATTEND AND IT IS FREE OF CHARGE! FOR INFORMATION EMAIL OR CALL TODAY!
(609) 267-5550
postmaster@hainesportchiro.com

TRAVEL ACHES AND STRAINS CAN BE A PAIN IN YOUR BACK OR NECK

With the holidays upon us visiting family and close friends may require you to travel. Traveling can be rough on the body. Long hours in a car or on an airplane can leave you stressed, tired, and stiff. But the good news is that there are things you can do to fight the aches and pains of travel before they occur.

**Warm Up, Cool Down. Treat travel as an athletic event. Warm up before settling into a car or plane, and cool down once you reach your destination. Take a brisk walk to stretch your hamstring and calf muscles.

**In The Car

Adjust the seat so you are as close to the steering wheel as is comfortably possible. Vary your seat position throughout the trip. Consider a back support for your car. Do not grip the steering wheel. Instead, tighten and loosen your grip to improve hand circulation. Take frequent rest breaks to stretch and walk. Use cruise control when possible.

**In An Airplane

Use a travel pillow in the small of your back to maintain the normal "S" curve of your spine. Check all bags heavier than 10% of your body weight. Avoid overhead lifting of bags. While seated, vary your position to improve circulation and avoid leg cramps.

For the Winter Sports Enthusiast

Winter sporting activities can pose problems for the outdoor enthusiast whose body is not in condition. Winter sports like skating, skiing, and sledding can cause painful muscle strains or tears if you are not in shape.

Before venturing outdoors, get plenty of rest and eat a good breakfast. Then, to help condition your body, do some stretching exercises at home. Focus on lower back muscles, hamstrings and calf muscles. To reduce injury, run down a mental check list to assess your mental awareness, equipment condition and your physical fitness level. Next take off the chill that settles in on the way to your activity, and warm up just before you start your activity, to get the blood flowing and to increase your heart rate.

And don't forget cool-down stretching for all winter sports. At the bottom of the hill, for instance before trudging back up the hill, do some more knees to chest stretches, or repetitive squatting movements to restore flexibility.